Improvement in bill-files



J. E. GORMAN. Bill-File.

No. 201,004. Patented March 5, I878.

yolun Zeer N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITMOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON, D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. GORMAN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BILL-FILES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 201,004, dated March 5,1878; application filed February 13, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN E. GORMAN, of Washington, District ofColumbia, have invented a new and usemlmprovement in Bill- Files; and Ido hereby declare that the following is an accurate description thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which like lettersrefer to like parts.

My invention relates to bill-files or fileboxes designed to retainpublic documents records, letters, 850.; and its object is to make afile-box which shall permit of easy access to its contents, and at thesame time preserve the papers placed therein from exposure, and holdthem flat or in bundles without the use of tapes or bands.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved device.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a side elevation; and Fig. 4is a front view, showing the flanges turned over to hold a label, withlabel in place.

A is the side of a rectangular box, made of metal, wood, pasteboard, orother suitable material. One end of the box F is hinged at b, and whenclosed is secured bythe bail E turning down into the notch a. The end ofthe box opposite the hinged end F is permanently secured to the sides A,and this permanent end and the hinged end F have each a series ofcorrugations, B B, upon the inside. These corrugations may be made inthe ends of the box, or in a separate piece of wood or metal, soldered,riveted, or otherwise secured to the ends of the box.

The corrugations may be in the sides instead of in the ends, in whichcase the follower will slide in from the open end.

A follower, 0, wide enough to fit easily into the box, and just longenough to enter the depressions between the corrugations, but not topass them, is placed upon a pile of papers in the box, and pressed downupon them, when, by closing the cover F, the follower will be heldbetween the corrugations, holding the papers compressed, and notpermitting them to be displaced until the cover F is opened and thefollower 0 released.

The front end of the box has flanges I turned in from the corners, tosecure a label, H, which may be slipped in from above. In making the boxof sheet metal, which is the form in which I prefer to use it, the seamsare swaged or turned over to the front, thereby producing the turned-inflanges without any additional expense.

Other forms of flanges may be used.

When the bail E is turned down into the notches win the sides A, it maybe secured by a small bolt, D, at the side. This will only be necessary,however, when the box is full of papers.

To render the box substantially dust and water proof, a supplementarycover, K, may be hinged to one of the ends, as at b or b, Figs. 2 and 3.When this cover is attached, the bail E and catch D may be dispensedwith, if desired.

G is a ring to draw out the box from a shelf or pigeon-hole.

By the above construction a file-holder is made which is neat, light,and cheaply constructed.

When papers are put in the box they are held down. by the follower C soclosely that they are not likely to be injured by fire, as it is wellknown that packed or compressed paper is exceedingly non-combustible andwhen the boxes are made of metal, and a large number placed side by sideupon shelves or other supports, or in pigeon-holes, they form apractically fire-proof wall, as only the metallic ends bearing thelabels are exposed to the action of a fire in the rooms where the filesare stored.

Instead of using the supplementary cover, I may dispense with this part,and, by simply turning the open side to the wall or down upon the shelf,obtain the same result--viz., render the box dust and water proofwithout the addition of the cover K.

Having thus described the construction of my device, I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination of the permanentend and the hinged end, corrugated as described, with the follower O,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

.2. The combination of the hinged end F; gated ends or sides,-the bail,and follower, all bail E, and sides A, notched at a, substanconstructed,combined, and arranged substantially as described. tially as described.

3. The combination of the bail E notched side plate A, and the fasteningdevice D, con- JOHN GORMAN' structed and arranged substantially as de-Witnesses: scribed. G. Y. AT LEE,

4. A file holder or box having the corru- M. P. CALLAN.

